Food poisoning comes in other forms

According to the Centers for Disease (CDC), one in 6 Americans (48 million people) get sick,

128,000 end up in a hospital and 3000 die each year from food poisoning. 

The most common causes of food poisoning are caused by some familiar sounding germs/virus.  Do you recognize the names Salmonella, E. Coli and Norwalk-like viruses?  All these disease causing microorganisms (some germs and some viruses) have been in headline news when they make people ill.

What can we do to protect ourselves from food poisoning?  The CDC recommends the same precautions:  “wash hands, cutting boards, utensils and countertops…Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods…Use a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature

               145^oF for whole meats (allow the meat to sit for 3 minutes before cutting and eating.

               160^oF for ground meats

               165^oF for all poultry

Keep your refrigerator below 40^oF and refrigerate food that will spoil…Report suspected illness from food to your local health department.  Don’t prepare food for others if you have diarrhea or have been vomiting.  Be especially careful when preparing food for children, pregnant women, those in poor health and older adults.”  The information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/BeFoodSafe/